Back and Bicep Dumbbell Workout: 14 Best Exercises & Routine

In a series of dumbbell exercises, I’ll share the best back and bicep dumbbell exercises for building strength and size in this article.

Back (large) and biceps (small) are two crucial upper body muscles that work when you row the dumbbells or flex your arms.

With the following dumbbell exercises, you can hammer your back and biceps effectively and build strength, muscle, and definition.

Dumbbell Back Exercises:

• Dumbbell Bent-Over Row
• Incline Dumbbell I-Y-T Raises
• Dumbbell Deadlift
• Single-arm Dumbbell Row
• Dumbbell Pendlay Row
• Dumbbell Face Pull
• 45-degree Incline Row

Biceps Dumbbell Exercises:

• Alternating Dumbbell Bicep Curls
• Incline Dumbbell Curls
• Dumbbell Drag Curls
• Spider Curls
• Concentration Curl
• One-arm Preacher curl
• Hammer Curl

Can You Train Back and Biceps Together?

Yes, you can train your back and biceps together because:

• Both biceps and back work during pulling exercises, such as dumbbell rows, biceps curls, and concentration curls.
• The back is the large muscle that makes the entire posterior torso, and the biceps is the small muscle group, located on the anterior side of the upper arms. This combination of large and small muscle groups is ideal for muscle-building training.
• Training the biceps and back on the same day saves your time, eliminates the need for an extra training day.

Let’s first look at the best dumbbell exercises for back and biceps each. After that, I’ll use those exercises to create a workout routine for building muscle.

Best Dumbbell Back Exercises

Let’s explore the best dumbbell exercises that hit the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, rhomboids, and teres muscles and build a muscular back.

1. Dumbbell Bent-Over Row

The bent-over row involves bending at your hips and rowing the dumbbells at your sides. It hammers the traps, lats, and infraspinatus and improves your back definition.¹ Fenwick CM, Brown SH, McGill SM. Comparison of different rowing exercises: trunk muscle activation and lumbar spine motion, load, and stiffness. J Strength Cond Res. 2009 Mar;23(2):350-8. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181942019. PMID: 19197209.

A barbell allows you to lift more weight, however, the dumbbells provide a full range of motion and help you target the back muscles efficiently.

Steps to perform a bent-over row with dumbbells:

1. Grab one dumbbell in each hand and stand in the hip-width stance.
2. Bend your torso forward with your core tight, arms down, and back straight.
3. Drive your elbows back as you row the dumbbells at your sides.
4. Stop when you feel the full contraction in your back.
5. Pause for a couple of seconds, then return dumbbells to the start. That’s one rep.

2. Incline Dumbbell I-Y-T Raises

The IYT raises is an advanced upper body dumbbell exercise that strengthens multiple muscles simultaneously, particularly the back and shoulder.

It involves lying on a 30-degree incline bench with your face down and lifting your arms in three directions (front, diagonal, and lateral).

It activates the traps, infraspinatus, and posterior delts and builds a stronger back.² ACE-SPONSORED RESEARCH: What Is the Best Back Exercise? by Holly Edelburg, B.S., John P. Porcari, Ph.D., Clayton Camic, Ph.D., Attila Kovacs, Ph.D., and Carl Foster, Ph.D., with Daniel J. Green – American Council of Exercise

Steps to perform the Incline IYT Raises:

1. Set the bench to a 30-degree incline, grab a pair of dumbbells with an overhand grip, and lie prone on the bench with your chest on the edge of it. That’s the start.
2. Raise your arms straight in front of you until your front delts are engaged.
3. Bring the dumbbells to the start and then raise your arms slightly outward making a “Y” shape.
4. Lower your arms to the start and then raise the dumbbells out to the sides until you feel a good contraction in your back. That’s a “T” raise and your first rep is done.

3. Dumbbell Deadlift

The dumbbell deadlift is a compound exercise that builds strength, muscles, and endurance. It primarily works on posterior chain muscles, such as hamstrings, glutes, and the lower back. When done correctly, it also engages back muscles.

Steps to perform a dumbbell deadlift:

1. Holding one dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip, stand upright in the hip-width stance. Brace your core and maintain an upright posture.
2. Hinge at your hips and slightly bend your knees to lower the dumbbells until it reaches just above your feet.
3. Keeping your arms straight, lift the dumbbells as you return to the standing position.
4. Raise your hips and shoulders at the same range while maintaining a straight back.
5. Your hips should slightly come forward while returning to the standing position.
6. Do as many reps as you can. Keep the dumbbells close to your body throughout the movement.

4. Single-arm Dumbbell Row

The single-arm dumbbell row is an excellent strength and muscle-building back exercise. It involves bending at your hips and rowing the dumbbell at your side. It allows you to train your back one side at a time and build a defined back while also engaging obliques and putting less stress on the lower back.³ Saeterbakken A, Andersen V, Brudeseth A, Lund H, Fimland MS. The Effect of Performing Bi- and Unilateral Row Exercises on Core Muscle Activation. Int J Sports Med. 2015 Nov;36(11):900-5. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1398646. Epub 2015 Jul 2. PMID: 26134664.

Steps to perform a single-arm dumbbell row:

1. Grab a dumbbell in your right hand with a neutral grip.
2. Place your left knee and hand on the bench for support.
3. Keep your core tight, maintain a flat back, and keep your arms straight below your shoulders. That’s the start.
4. Row the dumbbell at your side until you feel a good contraction in your back.
5. Perform more reps or sets on the weaker side.

5. Dumbbell Pendlay Row

The Pendlay row involves lowering the dumbbells on the ground, then driving your elbows back to your sides. It has a greater range of motion than the traditional bent-over row variation, providing decent stretch to latissimus dorsi and helps build a broader back.

It also performs at a faster pace and builds up explosive power.

How to do Pendlay row with dumbbells:

1. Holding one dumbbell in each hand with a neutral grip, stand upright with your feet two times hip-width apart.
2. Keep your arms straight below your shoulders, brace your core, and hinge at your hips to lean your torso toward the floor.
3. Row the dumbbells at your sides until your back muscles are fully engaged.
4. Squeezing your lats, hold in that position for a couple of seconds, and then lower the dumbbells to the start. That’s one rep.

6. Dumbbell Face Pull

The dumbbell face pull is another rowing exercise that involves holding the dumbbells with an overhead grip and pulling the dumbbells toward the face. It trains multiple muscles simultaneously, including the upper traps and posterior delts.⁴ Yoo WG. Effects of pulling direction on upper trapezius and rhomboid muscle activity. J Phys Ther Sci. 2017 Jun;29(6):1043-1044. doi: 10.1589/jpts.29.1043. Epub 2017 Jun 7. PMID: 28626320; PMCID: PMC5468195.

How to perform face pull with dumbbells:

1. Grab one dumbbell in each hand with an overhead grip and stand straight in the hip-width stance.
2. Push your hips back, slightly bend your knees, and lean your torso forward until your chest is parallel to the floor.
3. Pull the dumbbells toward your face until your upper back is fully engaged.
4. Pause for a moment and then return to the start.

7. 45-degree Incline Row

The incline chest supported row is a back development dumbbell exercise. It isolates the upper and mid-back muscles without placing stress on the lower back.⁵ Vasconcelos, Christine & Lopes, Charles & Martins Almeida, Vinicius & Neto, Walter & Soares, Enrico. (2023). Effect Of Different Grip Position And Shoulder- Abduction Angle On Muscle Strength And Activation During The Seated Cable Row. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning. 3. 10.47206/ijsc.v3i1.190.

The prone lying position also helps keep the momentum in control and allows you to engage the back muscles efficiently.

The DB seal row involves the following steps:

1. Set the bench to 45-degree inclined position.
2. Grab a pair of dumbbells with a neutral and lie prone on the bench.
3. Keep your arms straight below your shoulders and toes on the ground.
4. Pull the dumbbells to your side as high as possible.
5. Squeezing your lats, pause for a moment, and then return to the start.

Best Dumbbell Biceps Exercises for Building Muscles

Let’s explore the dumbbell curl variations that hit the short head, long head, brachialis, and build burly biceps.

1. Alternating Dumbbell Bicep Curl

The alternating curls involve focusing on one arm at a time. Training biceps alternately ensures both arms develop equally and you can build jacked arms.⁶ Mannarino P, Matta T, Lima J, Simão R, Freitas de Salles B. Single-Joint Exercise Results in Higher Hypertrophy of Elbow Flexors Than Multijoint Exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2021 Oct 1;35(10):2677-2681. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003234. PMID: 31268995, ⁷Serbest, Kasım. (2022). A biomechanical analysis of dumbbell curl and investigation of the effects of increasing loads on biceps brachii using a finite element model. Academic Perspective Procedia. 5. 507-516. 10.33793/acperpro.05.03.9917.

Steps to perform the alternating biceps curls:

1. Grab one dumbbell in each hand with an underhand grip and stand upright with your feet together. Keep your arms straight and elbows tucked at your sides.
2. Curl your right arm until your bicep is engaged.
3. Pause for a moment and then uncurl. That’s one rep.
4. Perform an equal number of sets and reps on each side.

2. Incline Dumbbell Bicep Curl

The incline DB curls involve lying on a 45-60 degrees inclined bench and doing curls. This inclined angle allows your arms to stretch fully behind your back, creating a deep stretch at the start of each rep.⁸ Oliveira LF, Matta TT, Alves DS, Garcia MA, Vieira TM. Effect of the shoulder position on the biceps brachii emg in different dumbbell curls. J Sports Sci Med. 2009;8(1):24-29. Published 2009 Mar 1.

The deeper stretch and greater range of motion engage more muscle fibers and slightly produce better muscle growth.⁹ Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J. Effects of range of motion on muscle development during resistance training interventions: A systematic review. SAGE Open Med. 2020;8:2050312120901559. Published 2020 Jan 21. doi:10.1177/2050312120901559

Steps to perform an incline curl:

1. Holding one dumbbell in each hand with an underhand grip, sit on a 50 to 60-degree incline bench with your back resting on the pad.
2. Keep your core tight and your arms straight at your sides.
3. Curl the dumbbells until the biceps are fully shortened.
4. Pause for a moment and uncurl your arms. That’s one rep.

You can also perform the alternate incline dumbbell curls.

3. Dumbbell Drag Curl

The drag curl is a unique dumbbell pull exercise that involves curling your arm while pulling your shoulders back. It trains the upper back and biceps simultaneously and helps build a stronger upper body.

Steps to perform drag curl with dumbbells:

1. Grab one dumbbell in each hand with an underhand grip and keep your arms straight at your sides.
2. Driving your elbows backward, curl your arms until the biceps are fully shortened.
3. Squeezing your biceps, pause for a moment, and then return your arms to the start. That’s one rep.

4. Incline Prone Dumbbell Bicep Curl

Incline prone or dumbbell spider curl involves lying on the stomach on a 45-60 degrees inclined bench with face down. This incline position stabilizes your upper body, keeping the tension on the biceps.

This exercise primarily targets the brachialis and short head and helps build jacked biceps.

How to perform dumbbell spider or incline prone curls:

1. Holding one dumbbell in each hand, lie prone on a 45-60 degree incline bench. Keep your arms straight below your shoulders with palms facing forward.
2. Curl your arms toward your shoulder until you feel a good biceps contraction.
3. You can wait for a moment before lowering the dumbbells to the start.

You can also do an alternate curl in the way to target one arm at a time.

5. Dumbbell Concentration Curl

The concentration curl involves keeping your upper arm on the thigh and flexing your arm while looking at the biceps throughout the movement. The arms placement and looking at your biceps improve mind-muscle connection, produce decent contractions, ad helps build round biceps.¹⁰ ACE Study to Find The Best Biceps Exercises by Scott Young, M.S., John P. Porcari, Ph.D., Clayton Camic, Ph.D., Attila Kovacs, Ph.D., and Carl Foster, Ph.D. (2014) – American Council of Exercise

Steps to do a Concentration Curl:

1. Holding a dumbbell in your right hand, sit on the edge of a bench.
2. Lean forward and place your right elbow on the inner part of your right thigh. Keep your other hand on the left knee for support.
3. Curl your arm until your bicep is fully contracted.
4. Squeezing your biceps, hold for a moment, and then uncurl your arm. That’s one rep!

6. Dumbbell One-arm Preacher curl

The dumbbell one-arm preacher curl isolates the biceps, targeting the short head for width and fullness. It corrects imbalances by working one arm at a time, and helps build symmetrical biceps.

Steps to perform dumbbell preacher curls:

1. Incline the bench at an appropriate height, nearly at a 60-degree.
2. Holding a dumbbell in either of your hands, stand against the bench and place the back of the arm on the pad.
3. Contracting your biceps, curl your arm up to shoulder level.
4. Hold for a second and return to the initial position. That’s one rep!

7. Dumbbell Hammer Curl

The hammer curls involve gripping the dumbbells with a neutral grip. This neutral grip engages not only the biceps but also the brachialis (forearm muscles) and builds thicker and athletic arms.¹¹ Coratella G, Tornatore G, Longo S, et al. Biceps Brachii and Brachioradialis Excitation in Biceps Curl Exercise: Different Handgrips, Different Synergy. Sports (Basel). 2023;11(3):64. Published 2023 Mar 9. doi:10.3390/sports11030064

Follow these steps to perform the dumbbell hammer curls:

1. Holding a pair of dumbbells with a neutral grip, keep your arms straight at your sides in the standing position.
2. Curl one arm up to shoulder level of the same hand, pause for a moment at the top to squeeze your bicep, and then slowly uncurl your arm. That’s one rep.
3. Perform an equal number of sets and reps for each arm.

30-Minute Best Back and Bicep Dumbbell Workout Routine

Beginner Level

Exercises	Reps	Sets
Single-arm DB Row	10/side	3
45-degree Incline Row	10-12	3
Alternating Curls	8/arm	3
Concentration Curls	8/arm	3
Hammer Curls	12-15	3

Intermediate Level

Exercises	Reps	Sets
Bent-Over Row	12-15	3
Single-arm DB Row	10/side	3
Incline I-Y-T Raises	6-8	3
Incline Dumbbell Curls	12-15	3
Concentration Curls	8/arm	3
Hammer Curls	12-15	3

Advanced Level

Exercises	Reps	Sets
Bent-Over Row	12-15	3
Single-arm DB Row	10/side	3
Incline I-Y-T Raises	6-8	3
Alternating Curls	8/arm	3
Concentration Curls	8/arm	3
Hammer Curls	12-15	3

Rest for a shorter duration if you are experienced lifters and aim to perform more sets or reps.

Download The Back & Bicep DB Workout PDF

You can download a PDF file of all the exercises and the routine if you want.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

References

• 1
  Fenwick CM, Brown SH, McGill SM. Comparison of different rowing exercises: trunk muscle activation and lumbar spine motion, load, and stiffness. J Strength Cond Res. 2009 Mar;23(2):350-8. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181942019. PMID: 19197209.
• 2
  ACE-SPONSORED RESEARCH: What Is the Best Back Exercise? by Holly Edelburg, B.S., John P. Porcari, Ph.D., Clayton Camic, Ph.D., Attila Kovacs, Ph.D., and Carl Foster, Ph.D., with Daniel J. Green – American Council of Exercise
• 3
  Saeterbakken A, Andersen V, Brudeseth A, Lund H, Fimland MS. The Effect of Performing Bi- and Unilateral Row Exercises on Core Muscle Activation. Int J Sports Med. 2015 Nov;36(11):900-5. doi: 10.1055/s-0034-1398646. Epub 2015 Jul 2. PMID: 26134664.
• 4
  Yoo WG. Effects of pulling direction on upper trapezius and rhomboid muscle activity. J Phys Ther Sci. 2017 Jun;29(6):1043-1044. doi: 10.1589/jpts.29.1043. Epub 2017 Jun 7. PMID: 28626320; PMCID: PMC5468195.
• 5
  Vasconcelos, Christine & Lopes, Charles & Martins Almeida, Vinicius & Neto, Walter & Soares, Enrico. (2023). Effect Of Different Grip Position And Shoulder- Abduction Angle On Muscle Strength And Activation During The Seated Cable Row. International Journal of Strength and Conditioning. 3. 10.47206/ijsc.v3i1.190.
• 6
  Mannarino P, Matta T, Lima J, Simão R, Freitas de Salles B. Single-Joint Exercise Results in Higher Hypertrophy of Elbow Flexors Than Multijoint Exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2021 Oct 1;35(10):2677-2681. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000003234. PMID: 31268995
• 7
  Serbest, Kasım. (2022). A biomechanical analysis of dumbbell curl and investigation of the effects of increasing loads on biceps brachii using a finite element model. Academic Perspective Procedia. 5. 507-516. 10.33793/acperpro.05.03.9917.
• 8
  Oliveira LF, Matta TT, Alves DS, Garcia MA, Vieira TM. Effect of the shoulder position on the biceps brachii emg in different dumbbell curls. J Sports Sci Med. 2009;8(1):24-29. Published 2009 Mar 1.
• 9
  Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J. Effects of range of motion on muscle development during resistance training interventions: A systematic review. SAGE Open Med. 2020;8:2050312120901559. Published 2020 Jan 21. doi:10.1177/2050312120901559
• 10
  ACE Study to Find The Best Biceps Exercises by Scott Young, M.S., John P. Porcari, Ph.D., Clayton Camic, Ph.D., Attila Kovacs, Ph.D., and Carl Foster, Ph.D. (2014) – American Council of Exercise
• 11
  Coratella G, Tornatore G, Longo S, et al. Biceps Brachii and Brachioradialis Excitation in Biceps Curl Exercise: Different Handgrips, Different Synergy. Sports (Basel). 2023;11(3):64. Published 2023 Mar 9. doi:10.3390/sports11030064